NJ Imam Who Called For Killing Of Jews During Sermon Suspended

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A Jersey City imam who called Jewish people living in Israel "apes and pigs" and called for their deaths in a sermon earlier this month has been suspended without pay, the president of the mosque said.

Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby, an imam of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, made the remarks during a Dec. 8 sermon after President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which published a translated transcript.

The president of the center, Ahmed Shedeed, told the Hudson County View that Elkasaby was suspended without pay for at least one month as a result. He will also have to undergo "retraining."

Elkasaby made multiple inflammatory, anti-Semitic remarks during the sermon according to MEMRI's translation, including, "So long as the Al-Aqsa Mosque remains under the feet of the apes and pigs, this nation will remain humiliated."

He also called for the deaths of Jewish people, saying, "Count them one by one, and kill them down to the very last one. Do not leave a single one on the face of the Earth."

Shedeed said the comments were not reflective of the center, and that it welcomes all.

“...The Imam whose Friday speech was quoted, could have spoken better. The Imam regrets the speech and the Islamic Center of Jersey City disavows unconditionally any insinuation that denigrates an entire people or that advocates violence against any innocent person," Shedeed said in a statement emailed to the paper. Patch has reached out to Sheedad for more information.

Senator Cory Booker denounced the remarks, and called on Shedeed to speak out. Shedeed attended the 2016 State Of The Union as Booker's guest.

"[Elkasaby's] statements are plainly repugnant," Booker wrote in a letter dated Dec. 14. "...His words are unconscionable and dangerous, and must not be allowed to stand."

"I sincerely hope that you will take a firm and unequivocal stand against this hatred and bigotry so we may continue to work together," Booker said.

The Anti-Defamation League condemned the remarks in a public statement on their website.

“These outrageous statements are anti-Semitic and dangerous,” said Joshua Cohen, ADL New Jersey Regional Director. “We reject this attempt to cast this matter as a religious war between Jews and Muslims.”

Cohen said that while the issue of Israel's capital was sensitive, it was no excuse.

“We recognize that this is an enormously sensitive and volatile issue with many different points of view,” said Cohen, “But anti-Semitism has no place in New Jersey and no place in the discussions concerning Jerusalem. It is more important than ever for religious communities to build cooperation and jointly combat all forms of bigotry.”

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